Charging apparatus for blast-furnaces.



PATENTED JAN. 9-, 1906.

G. G. SHAGKLEFORD.

CHARGING APPARATUS FOR BLAST FURNACES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1903.

IIH I I I I I I I WW WITNESSES:

UNITE sra'rns PATENT CFFICE- CHARGING APPARATUS FOR BLAST-FURNACES.

Specification of Letters Patentr Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed August 26, 1903. Serial No. 170,829.

To all who/1t i0 Tim/y concern.-

Be it known that I, GIBBON C. SIIACKLE- FORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Charging Apparatus for Blast-Furnaces, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in charging apparatus for blast-furnaces, and has for its object the distribution of the ore, coke, flux, &c., as required by the working of the furnace.

Charging apparatus has heretofore been constructed so that the entire contents of the hopper is directed toward the sides of the furnace, or in other forms of apparatus toward the middle of the furnace. Charging apparatus has also been constructed so that the contents of the hopper may be directed toward the sides of the furnace or may be divided into two streams, one flowing toward the middle of the furnace and the other toward the sides.

The invention described herein has for its object a construction of charging mechanism whereby the entire contents of the hopper may be directed either toward the middle of the furnace or toward its sides.

The invention is hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the upper portion of a blast-furnace having improved charging apparatus applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the bell,&c.,lowered.

In the practice of my invention the upper part of the furnace is constructed in the usual or any suitable manner and is provided with the usual hopper 1, having converging lower sides 3 and a central discharge-opening. This discharge-opening is adapted to be closed by a bell 4, of the usual shape and construction, fitting closely into the opening in the hopper. A distributing-bell 5 is also provided, said bell having its upper end cut away so as to form an opening into which the main bell 4 will fit, closing the opening in the distributing-bell. It is preferred that the edges of the opening in the upper end of the distributing-bell should rest upon a seat 6, formed on the periphery of the main bell, as clearly shown, and that the opening in the distributingbell should be at least equal to the opening of the discharge-hopper. The main bell 4 is connected by a rod 7 to any suitable form or construction of bell-operating mechanism known in the art. The distributing-bell 5 is similarly connected by rods 8 to a raising and lowering mechanism independent of the mechanism employed for operating the main bell.

In charging the furnace if it is desired that the charge should be deposited in the middle of the furnace the main bell 4 is lowered, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that the entire contents of the hopper will pass down through the opening in the hopper and also through the distrilmting-bell. As the contents of the hopper strike against the lowered bell 4 they will be thrown outwardly; but their outward movement will be checked by the curtain-wall 10 on the lower end of the. distributing-bell, and consequently the charge will be caused to move downin straight lines to the middle of the furnace. If, on the other hand, it is desired to direct the contents of the hopper to the sides of the furnace, both -bells are lowered simultaneously, as shown in Fig. 2, and the contents of the hopper are directed by the sloping sides of the two bells to the sides of the furnace.

It will be observed that the main bell 4 is the sole closing means for the hopper and that the distributing-bell serves in both cases as a guiding or directing means whereby the charge is distributed as desired in the furnace.

I claim herein as my invention' 1. A char in a )aratus forblast-furnaces having in combination a feed-hopper, a distributing-bell arranged below the hopper, and having an opening in line with and of a diameter not less than the diameter of the opening in the hopper, means for raising and lowering the distributing-bell, a main bell 3. A charging apparatus for blast-furnaces having in combination a feed-hopper, a distributing-bell having an opening in line with and of a diameter not less than the diameter of the opening in the hopper, means for raising and lowering the distributing bell, a main bell adapted to close the hopper and when lowered to direct the contents of the hopper through or over the distributing-bell, and means for raising and lowering the main bell, substantially as set forth.

4. Aoharging apparatus for blast-furnaces, having in combination a feed-hopper, a distributing-bell having an opening in line with and of a diameter not less than the diameter of the opening in the hopper and provided with a deflecting-curtain, means for raising and lowering the distributing-bell, a main bell adapted to close the hopper and to direct my hand.

GIBBON C. SHAOKLEFORD.

Witnesses:

DARWIN CQWOLGOTT, F. E. GAITHER. 

